by Sydney King ’26 on October 9, 2025

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A&E - Film & TV

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An Adaptation Done Right

Stephen King—or the deemed “father of horror”—wrote his novel, The Long Walk (1979), at age 19 as a freshman in college. While most college freshmen are dreading their assigned reading and writing assignments, King managed to craft a complexly horrific and emotional allegory for the draft during the Vietnam War that I have yet to see any other modern allegorical novel match. When I heard that they were making a film and that it was to be released this fall, I excitedly called my mom, who was a fan of the book in her youth and has claimed that the book has stuck with her despite having read it decades ago. So, when I sat down in theaters last Sunday and watched the film, I went in expecting to be scared and tense. I left, however, having cried twice, and feeling as though the events of the film were real and that I was involved in them firsthand. 

The concept of The Long Walk is simple—50 boys (100 in the novel) selected from each state voluntarily put their names in a lottery to be selected for the annual Long Walk, a contest that starts in Maine and has no official endpoint. The walk is based on one essential rule: you must keep a pace of three miles per hour. If you drop below this, you get one warning, if you stay under for 10 seconds, you get a second warning, and if you stay under for another 10 seconds, you get your ticket. If you go off the road, you get your ticket with no warning. The usage of “warning” is intentional to minimize the actual punishment of the walk, the ticket, which means being shot to death by the soldiers that accompany the boys in tanks beside them.  

There is something so uniquely straightforward yet sinister about making 50 young men, from ages 18 through their early 20s (13–18 in the novel), walk themselves to death. While the walk is presented as entirely optional to the participants, even giving them until the day before to back out, they are driven by the reward of an endless amount of money and to have one wish granted. Not only that, but the boys are motivated to participate because of the affirmations and reassurance given to them about their strength and bravery. The tragic beauty of this story is that it is a doomed narrative—as the boys walk, they form intense friendships with each other that are bound to end in suffering and trauma. As the days go on, the boys’ expressions seem to shift from fear and panic to relief whenever they are approaching their deaths. For the sake of not wanting to spoil the relatively new film, I will leave out the specifics of the deaths, but just know before starting the film that the deaths all result from complications that are completely human. 

The Vietnam War metaphor is not to be forgotten while watching the film. The frustrations and grief that come with signing up for something presented as rewarding and masculine, only to be left with internal emptiness and external abandonment, are directly reflected in the boys on the walk. The saddest aspect about this film, however, is that despite it being written in the 1960s, it holds just as much relevance today, given the current climate of our country. 

by Sophia Caneira ’29 on October 9, 2025

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Maybe you heard about Oppenheimer (2023) through the summer “Barbenheimer” phenomenon. Maybe you saw Interstellar (2014) and fell in love with Hans Zimmer’s score. Maybe your dad made you watch The Prestige (2006) during a family movie night one weekend. Maybe you’re a big Batman fan and do a great imitation of Heath Ledger’s “Why so serious”? Maybe you watched Inception (2010) and you enjoyed it, but were also thoroughly confused. Here we have the father of the nuclear bomb, space travel resulting in the discovery of a fifth dimension, warring magicians, Bruce Wayne, and dream thieves. Quite a wide range. But what do all these films have in common? The imagination and creative touch of critically-acclaimed director Christopher Nolan. 

Nolan was born in London in 1970; his father was British and shot commercials in Los Angeles, while his mother was an American flight attendant. His childhood was spent in both London and Chicago, playing with action figures, making films, and constantly going to the movies with his younger brother Jonanthan. Notably, Nolan’s father took him to see Star Wars (1977) and 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), the latter of which inspired the highly acclaimed and well-received Interstellar. Nolan attended the University College London (UCL), where he studied English literature and met his future wife, producer Emma Thomas. Together, the two of them participated heavily in an on-campus film society, the UCL Film Society. 

Nolan made his first film, Following (1998), in his 20s and on a $6,000 budget. When he did the press tour for the film, he began to realize just how dependent moviemaking was on audience reception. Nolan has at least some of the writing credit for all of his films except Insomnia, and has collaborated on scripts with his brother since his film Memento (2000). He also collaborates with his wife, with whom he created the production company Syncopy. 

Memento, Nolan’s first big film, began as a short story written by Nolan’s brother. The two of them worked on the story together, discussing points of view and elements that could be translated between the short story and the film. The movie is not structured chronologically, but Nolan wrote the script in chronological order to make sure the foundation of the story made sense before shifting the scenes into the order that they would be seen by audiences. He also credits the actors in the film, notably Guy Pearce, with helping to ensure the logic of the story remained intact. 

Nolan’s technique—from both narrative and technical standpoints—is what sets him apart as a director and as an auteur. His films frequently involve the use of symbolism, which he often incorporates visually (totems in Inception, stethoscope in Batman Begins (2005), etc). Many of his films include shocking plot twists and nonlinear timelines. Nolan also emphasizes the importance of realism. For example, when creating Interstellar, Nolan spoke with scientists in order to ascertain that the film didn’t violate any established laws of physics. He believes that every aspect of a film must contribute to the film’s logic, and tries to think from the perspective of the audience, asking: what does the typical moviegoer like, want, or expect from his films? Nolan is very deliberate; as the director, he knows what he wants from a story and a film, but he also allows room for the plot of his films to be open to interpretation by the audience.

From a technical standpoint, and something I find rather remarkable, is that Nolan doesn’t use computer-generated imagery—he believes one can get a better result from shooting real scenes in real locations. During his creation of Interstellar, he didn’t use any green screens. Instead, he built the entire set and enhanced the film with special effects. Nolan’s postproduction coordinator has said that he has worked on rom-coms with more post-production effects than The Dark Knight Rises (2012). In a digital age when CGI has become such a common technology, especially for movies in the superhero genre, it is remarkable that Nolan has made so many films that are beautiful to look at without the use of CGI. Nolan also takes note of where the camera is aligned relative to the subjects within the frame, always aware of the relationship between the characters and the audience. He doesn’t use the zoom on his cameras, but instead places the camera within physical proximity to the subject. He often shoots on IMAX, intending to create an experience for the viewer that is as immersive as possible. Nolan holds to the idea that the technical aspects of a film, even the ones we unconsciously register, make the experience. 

Nolan has been highly influenced by big names in Hollywood such as Ridley Scott, Stanley Kubrick, Terrence Malick, and Nicolas Roeg. He has been praised by his actors as a great problem-solver who is very hands-on on set. He is known for being on time, on schedule, very organized and prepared, with a deep sense of responsibility for efficiency in the making of his films. He won his first Oscar with Oppenheimer, which received much attention on its own accord, aside from being released the same weekend as Greta Gerwig’s Barbie (2023). His next movie, The Odyssey, stars Matt Damon and Tom Holland and is scheduled for release in July of next year. In the last few weeks, he was also elected president of the Directors Guild of America.

Ever since I first saw Nolan’s take on the Batman character in The Dark Knight trilogy, I have been fascinated with his work. I recently had the chance to see Inception, which I really loved. All of his stories are riveting and his cinematography captivating. His movies are full of twists and turns that make for a unique viewing experience and leave you with a whole host of thoughts long after the credits roll. Being an aspiring screenwriter and filmmaker myself, Nolan serves as a muse. His passion and devotion to his work and his team are extremely admirable. Having a sister who loves writing as much as I do makes Nolan’s collaboration with his brother all the more inspiring. I leave you with a quote from a Nolan interview on The Director’s Chair: “I think really the only useful advice I ever got in terms of trying to figure out your way into the film business, the film industry, is to get yourself a script and hang onto it. You have to play to your strengths, you have to do something that really excites you, and whatever’s different about that. It’s that idea, that screenplay, that concept that’s so important, and that’s what’s going to distinguish it, if you can do it successfully.” 

One thing’s for sure: Nolan has never been afraid to dream a little bigger (if you know, you know).

by Flagg Taylor ’27 on October 2, 2025

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Another Paul Thomas Anderson Masterpiece

Paul Thomas Anderson’s newest film, One Battle After Another, was touted by critics to be one of the defining films of this generation and given top-tier reviews across the media. The trailers released were vague, likely an intentional move by Anderson. Going into the theatre, I knew I would hold this film to an unfairly high standard due to the aura and mystery surrounding its release. Anderson’s film did not disappoint one bit. One Battle After Another is extremely relevant to our current political and cultural climate, exploring themes of revolution, fatherhood, and freedom through the story of a paranoid ex-revolutionary father and his daughter as they escape the evil figures from their past. 

The film has a star-studded cast, and all of them mesh together in comedic but beautiful and impactful ways. In the first act of the movie, we are introduced to the revolutionary couple of Perfidia Beverly Hills (played by Teyana Taylor) and “Ghetto” Pat Calhoun (played by Leonardo DiCaprio). The couple and the rest of the revolutionary group, the French 75, commit various acts of revolution, like freeing immigrants from a detention center or bombing a politician’s office. During these daring battles, Beverly Hills makes an enemy with the film’s main antagonist, Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw (played by Sean Penn), who then develops a strange perversion for Beverly Hills. A series of unfortunate events leads to the disbandment of Beverly Hill’s and Calhoun’s cell of revolutionaries, and Beverly Hill’s arrest and subsequent disappearance. As the first act closes, we are transported 15 years into the future, to the present day. 

In the second act of the film, the audience is introduced to DiCaprio’s new persona, Bob Ferguson, and his daughter, who has grown into a 16-year-old girl, Willa Ferguson (played by Chase Infiniti). Bob is an extremely paranoid, stoner father who constantly worries about the government coming back for him ever since he had to go on the run with his daughter after Beverley Hill’s arrest. However, Colonel Lockjaw decides to hunt down the father-daughter duo for reasons I will not spoil. The plot takes off from here, and the movie truly feels like one battle after another as Bob and Lockjaw both struggle chasing Willa across Texas. Anderson’s different shot variety and the fast pacing of the film give the tone of a long, suspenseful chase, one battle after another for the characters, each with their respective goals. The resolution sequence (a long car chase) at the end of the movie was truly special. I have not experienced such a tense environment in the movie theatre for a long time. 

On top of Anderson’s genius filmmaking, Johnny Greenwood composed one of the best scores I’ve personally ever heard. His score was just as important to the tense and suspenseful feelings felt throughout the play as Anderson’s filmmaking. Greenwood also selected some great songs for the soundtrack, some of my personal favorites being “Dirty Work” by Steely Dan, “Ready or Not Here I Come (Can’t Hide from Love )” by The Jackson 5, and “Soldier Boy” by The Shirelles. 

Finally, the star-studded cast of One Battle After Another delivered a multitude of award-worthy performances. Chase Infiniti made her film debut for Anderson’s work and delivered an inspiring and impactful performance representing Gen Z in a film, making a direct response to current times in the U.S.. DiCaprio was extremely funny and quirky while also having moments of deep passion, perfectly playing his role of a smoked-out, paranoia-stricken ex-revolutionary. Benicio del Toro plays Sensei Sergio, Willa’s karate sensei, who leads an underground railroad for Hispanic immigrants fearing government agents. Toro steps into this role beautifully, portraying a different type of revolutionary as a symbol of strength in the community. Teyana Taylor and Regina Hall play empowering and emotional roles as strong-willed and brave revolutionary women. Last but not least, Sean Penn plays a downright vile, detestable character in Colonel Lockjaw in a jaw-dropping performance. From the facial tics, his walk and posture, the hatred in his voice, Penn brings to life a “soldier boy” that will go down as one of the iconic villains of this generation. 

It is hard to give a deep synopsis of the intricate themes and skillful filmmaking of One Battle After Another without spoiling too much of the film’s plot and ending. I highly recommend making the trip to the theatre and experiencing it for yourself. It was one of the fastest and most tense three hours in recent memory. I’ll have to rewatch it once or twice more before making any crazy statements towards the film’s all-time standing, but with extremely high expectations for this movie, Anderson and his cast and staff somehow managed to meet these high standards and then some. One Battle After Another was a captivating experience and delivered impactful and relevant messages in a funny, action-packed film that could not have been released at a better time than now. 

by Sophia Caneira ’29 on September 25, 2025

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Disclaimer: Spoilers Ahead

(500) Days of Summer (2009) is one of my favorite films I’ve seen. Even from the first moments, where the director’s disclaimer about Jenny Beckman, presumably a woman who broke his heart, is superimposed over a black screen, I was hooked. The movie follows the lives of Tom Hansen and Summer Finn over the course of their 500 days together, and how they fall in and out of love. For me, Tom is a relatable character. He is someone you might consider a hopeless romantic. He believes in the concept of true love and finding “the one,” while Summer does not. This comes between them and causes tension in their cautious relationship at multiple points. Personally, I think this flips the usual stereotype of the girl being obsessed and head-over-heels in love with the guy, who is usually depicted as more hesitant in the partnership when it comes to making a commitment and putting labels on the relationship. This is one of the many ways that this romantic comedy is unique from most others. 

Most rom-coms are fairly predictable; they follow the same formula that involves a meet-cute, exploration of the relationship, impending problems, and eventually a solution that results in the happy ending audiences crave. (500) Days of Summer is not like this. First of all, the movie jumps back and forth in time, between the high points in Tom and Summer’s relationship and the low points after their breakup. This method is almost reminiscent of the human experience of recalling memories. The way the movie is cut also allows for several powerful parallel scenes that create emotional contrast. For example, the different scenes that take place in IKEA. Despite the time jumps, the story isn’t given away, and the twist about Summer’s engagement is preserved until toward the end. Most of the time in rom-coms, the two main characters experience a challenge that threatens to end their relationship, but they are able to overcome that challenge once they see that they are better off together than they are apart. In (500) Days of Summer, Tom struggles with moving on from Summer because he believes she was the one, but they don’t end up back together. The only other movie I’ve seen where that twist occurs is in the movie La La Land (2016). This kind of unexpected twist rids the film of the predictability we expect from the typical rom-com. The movie explores how relationships are extremely personal and can invade every aspect of a person’s life, which isn’t usually touched on in the common flick. 

From a filmmaking standpoint, (500) Days is also a cinematic masterpiece. The movie employs a number of unique tactics to immerse you in the story. For one, the film jumps from past to present from start to finish. As the audience, we move through the 500 days focusing on Tom’s perspective, making him the main character and allowing us to empathize with his experience. The use of black and white clips, text superimposed on the screen, interviews with the characters, the “expectations vs. reality” scene of Tom arriving at Summer’s party, and even animation at some points, create an unconventional yet beautiful depiction of what a relationship can feel like. The film also includes a memorable soundtrack, which includes songs from a range of genres, from “Us” by Regina Spektor, to the classic “You Make My Dreams” by Hall & Oates, to songs by The Smiths. The Temper Trap’s “Sweet Disposition” became iconic through its use as a theme at several points in the film. 

I think many people, regardless of whether or not they have been in a romantic relationship before, can relate to this film in some way. The characters (especially Tom) are so accessible, and the unique way the movie was filmed and edited is compelling. While perhaps a somewhat simple love story of boy meets girl (although the narrator denies this), the plot and dialogue, such as Tom’s monologue before he quits his job, are quite thought-provoking. The film is so real—between the story and the acting—which I think is partially why it resonated with me so much. This underrated film was a very emotional watch for me, and I would certainly take the time to watch it again. At least for me, it’s the kind of film you’d be able to glean new details from each time.

by Ian Gualtiere ’27 on September 25, 2025

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To many, there was always a certain glow to movies from the previous century. Maybe it was the way the film met the light while capturing the action, allowing a fabulous fuzz to appear on our screens nearly 50 years later. Audiences could go to theaters to see dreams captured on celluloid and movies where actors truly turned into the characters they sought to convey. The idea of going to see a favorite actor was, is, and will always be a reason to go out and see a new movie; there is a certain allure to a film that promotes itself on raw star power. Many movies attempt to place all the eggs in one basket by hiring numerous A-list actors and celebrities to draw people back into the theater seats. Only a few movies rise to the occasion by complementing the actors with a great plot; examples would include the commercial and critical successes of Oppenheimer (2023), Avatar (2009), and The Dark Knight (2008). These movies allowed their star actors opportunities to shine alongside each other in a thoughtful and meaningful way, but other movies simply attempt to sell their product only by highlighting how many great actors they can afford. Examples include great actors like Russell Crowe, who was accused of phoning it in for his performance in The Mummy (2018), or how Robert De Niro was seen to have tarnished his legacy by starring alongside Zac Efron in Dirty Grandpa (2016). 

One actor had been able to subtly use his charm, skills, and subtle brilliance to shine above the rest, regardless of whether he was alone or starring alongside other talented actors. Robert Redford died last week, on Sept. 16, at the age of 89, and closed a long and celebrated 56 year career in television, film, and theater. Beginning his career on Broadway in the late 1950s, he also appeared on a string of television shows. However, his growing acting chops and unapologetic good looks carried him onto the silver screen, where he made his film debut in 1960. As the romantic comedy Barefoot in the Park (1967) premiered, he was easily typecast into the good-looking, blonde male stereotype, but his integrity as an actor outweighed his image as he searched for more unconventional and grittier roles. That unconventionality would be found when he starred alongside Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), as the two portrayed stubborn cowboys in a dying western frontier. The image of Redford as a charismatic, intelligent, and reliable actor allowed Redford for a decade of success in the 1970s. A string of hits would see Redford going back into the solitary western genre with Jeremiah Johnson (1972); a 1950s romance with Barbra Streisand in The Way We Were (1973); a reunion with Paul Newman in the world of 1920s crime in The Sting (1973) would give him the only Academy Award Best Actor Nomination of his career; an adaptation of the classic The Great Gatsby (1974); a CIA spy thriller with Three Days of The Condor (1975); and the politically charged All The President’s Men (1976), where he starred alongside Dustin Hoffman as they portrayed real-life investigative journalists trying to uncover the Watergate Scandal of the Nixon Administration. 

By the early 1980s, Redford had become increasingly politically active and was pursuing films with darker subject matter to reflect the materialist American culture he questioned. The result of these motives would culminate in his directorial debut with Ordinary People (1980); it is a film that explores the slow but unstoppable destruction of an upper-middle-class family after one of their sons takes his own life. The movie would be awarded at the Academy Awards with four wins; Redford would take home one Oscar for Best Director. The 1980s and 1990s would show a strong binary effort of Redford the actor and Redford the director. The baseball classic The Natural (1984) and the seven Oscar-winning Out of Africa (1985) would continue to cement Redford as a talented actor, while the Montana-set period drama A River Runs Through It (1992) and the scandalously criminal plot of Quiz Show (1994) would give Redford further respect as a director. 

Redford was also known for his outspoken support for environmentalism, Native American rights and recognition, and LGBTQ+ rights; a career in support of the arts and politics would make Redford a constant trustee and councilman on several progressive and social issues. One of the defining testaments to Redford’s legacy was his commitment to the independent film production industry. With the salary he received from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), Redford bought a ski resort near Park City, Utah, that he renamed “Sundance” after his character in the film. Redford cultivated a region solely dedicated to independent films, as the Sundance Film Festival is now the United States’ largest annual independent film festival. Largely thanks to Redford’s direction, the Sundance Institute, Sundance Cinemas, Sundance Catalog, and the Sundance Channel are all located in Park City. 

Redford was an authentic actor and director who defied the conventional role of a typical actor coasting on his good looks; he was instead someone who pushed the boundaries of topics many did not want to talk about and broadcast his opinions through the medium of film. The subtlety of Redford relied heavily on his ability to have one glance at the camera, and the audience would not just see his piercing blue eyes, but they would see the truths, dreams, and frustrations of American society, which did not want to see its reflection on the silver screen. 

by John Downey '23 on April 8, 2022
A&E Co-Editor

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A Slap in the Face to Filmmakers Sharing Underrepresented Stories

A Recap of The 94th Academy Awards

Grace Whitman ’22

Art has the power to tell the stories of people who would otherwise be unrepresented and thus forgotten, and this year’s Academy Awards truly encapsulated this fact. 

In 2020, the Academy, the governing body that oversees the Oscars, set new diversity requirements for movies seeking to be nominated for Best Picture. One of the major requirements is that “the film must either feature at least one lead actor or significant supporting actors from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group, have at least 30 percent of all actors in secondary and more minor roles from at least two underrepresented groups or include a main storyline centered around an underrepresented group.” 

Although these conditions will not become mandated until 2024, this year’s Best Picture perfectly captures the diversification of the Oscars that said conditions are intended to facilitate: Apple TV’s CODA, which is an acronym for Children of Deaf Adults. 

CODA is a heartwarming story about a senior in high school named Ruby who is the only member of her immediate family who is hearing. For this reason, Ruby is a key asset to her family’s fishing business, but because of their dependency on her, Ruby struggles to tell them that she wants to study music—something her parents do not see beauty in—instead of working for the family business. A large portion of the film is in American Sign Language, and it truly brings to light the struggles that deaf people face every day. 

In addition to CODA’s win for best picture, Troy Kotsur, who plays Ruby’s father in the movie, won Best Supporting Actor. Notably, Kotsur is the first deaf man to win an Academy Award for acting. His win and moving acceptance speech brought the entire audience to their feet with silent applause.

Another major winner of the night was Ariana Dubose for her role of Anita in the newest adaptation of West Side Story. In her acceptance speech as the first openly queer Afro-Latina to win an Oscar for acting, she said, “Now you see why that Anita says, ‘I want to be in America,’ because even in this weary world that we live in, dreams do come true.” 

Other notable winners were Billie Eilish and her brother FINNEAS, who won Best Original Song with “No Time to Die,” Jane Campion, who won Best Director for her work on The Power of the Dog, and Disney’s Encanto, which won Best Animated Feature.

Evidently, the films nominated at the Oscars this year were created by empowered filmmakers and actors that were able to tell great stories. Unfortunately, however, their art was overshadowed by Will Smith’s altercation with Chris Rock. 

The altercation began after Rock made an offensive joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Pinkett Smith recently found out that she has alopecia—an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss—which led her to shave her head. In an attempt to be humorous, Rock compared her to G.I. Jane. Attendees and viewers at home alike could clearly see Pinkett Smith’s disgust with the joke, followed by Smith walking on stage and slapping Rock across the face. Neither those present at the Oscars nor those at home immediately knew if the incident was staged or authentic.

Later in the evening, the answer to this question became clear. Smith won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his role in King Richard as the father and coach of famous tennis players Venus and Serena Williams. In his acceptance speech, Smith said, “Love will make you do crazy things” in reference to his earlier altercation with Rock, asserting that he will do anything for the people he loves, just like his character Richard Williams always did for his family.

Overall, while Smith and Rock’s confrontation at the 94th Annual Academy Awards was a bit of a slap in the face to the nominated individuals and projects that aimed to share underrepresented stories, the presence of such individuals and projects marks a promising trend for future Oscars.

by John Downey '23 on February 10, 2022
A&E Co-Editor

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Film Review: HBO’s The Fallout

The First Movie of Gen Z

Talia Rueda ’23

On Jan. 27, HBO released The Fallout, a film about the ways in which a community deals with the tragedy of a school shooting. Starring Jenna Ortega and Maddie Ziegler, two Gen Z “it” girls, the movie represents the new era of filmmaking associated with this generation while also showcasing timeless themes.

The film seems to place great emphasis on artistry and cinematic elements rather than the actual context of them. In other words, the movie prioritizes moody lighting, an “artsy” film preset, and minuscule moments between its characters. Today, such cinematographic techniques are commonly used to focus on the aesthetic world of teenagers, as evident in projects such as HBO’s Euphoria. Although The Fallout seems to focus more on the beauty of its scenes rather than the unfolding story at hand, its message is far from simple. 

In telling the story of the aftermath of a school shooting, director Megan Park brings a dark situation to light. The scenes encompass small moments of grief, as well as the many different roles that people can take on after such a traumatic event. This storytelling approach brings a great deal of realism to the film. 

Notably, the movie takes its audience through the shooting in only its first few minutes. In this way, the focus is not placed on the actual shooting but rather on the ways in which it affects the school community. For instance, immediately after this traumatic event, viewers see the film’s characters at home, unsure of how they are supposed to act. Some sit in silence with their family at the dinner table; others immediately seek change and host marches to make sure this never happens again.

At first glance, main characters Mia (Ziegler) and Veda (Ortega) are very different from one another. Mia is a dance influencer who is always home alone because her dads are always traveling; Veda lives a much more typical teenage lifestyle, and initially finds herself idolizing Mia before the pair form a close relationship due to their shared trauma.

Through these characters, the film excels at realistically depicting teenage friendship. For instance, there are moments of awkward silence in Mia and Veda’s growing bond. They drink wine, swim in the hot tub, and FaceTime each other every night because they cannot sleep alone, but at times find that they do not know what to say to one another. The school shooting has certainly brought them together, but just as in most relationships, there are moments of discomfort. In the context of the film, these moments of silence suggest that despite the fact that their friendship is helping them heal, the pair must navigate certain elements of their trauma by themselves.

Altogether, The Fallout details many aspects of Gen Z life, not only by representing a common tragedy that has taken place in American schools in this generation’s formative years, but also by using camera operation and lighting styles that have become popular in young people’s favorite television shows, such as Euphoria and the rebooted version of Gossip Girl. Indeed, such idealistic cinematography not only encapsulates popular Gen Z trends, such as a love for film photos and retro ideals, but also presents the reality of this generation’s struggles unique to its own members.

by John Downey '23 on January 29, 2022
A&E Co-Editor

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Recap: The 2022 Golden Globes

Controversy Overshadows This Year’s Ceremony

Grace Whitman ’22

In 2021, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosted the 78th Golden Globes. The pair used their opening monologue to bring to light the lack of diversity in the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the group that selects the nominees and winners for the Golden Globes and also invites new members into the HFPA. At that point, not a single person on the 87-member committee was Black, which had been the case for over two decades. 

Since last year’s Golden Globes, the HFPA has inducted 21 new members, including six Black journalists, five Asian journalists, 10 women, six Latinx individuals, and four individuals of Middle Eastern/North African descent. In a statement made after the announcement of the new members, HFPA President Helen Hoehne said, “We are building a new organization, one that is not focused on fulfilling quotas, but instead has diversity and inclusion at its core.”

The new members of the HFPA had immediate voting rights, and their impact was apparent in the 79th annual Golden Globes awards ceremony, which took place on Sunday, Jan. 9. However, the changes were not as well-received as the HFPA had hoped. NBC, which has hosted the Golden Globes for over 25 years, was particularly unimpressed by the seemingly performative nature of the HFPA’s changes: the network refused to air the Globes, leaving them unaired on television. Evidently, the show that was once the hottest ticket and known for kick-starting award season will be required to make additional internal changes before it can regain credibility.

Despite being unaired—as well as the additional challenges of Tom Cruise returning his three Golden Globes in 2021 and Scarlett Johannesson actively urging her fellow actors to boycott the award show in response to the HFPA’s lack of diversity—the Globes went on, though with no red carpet, no musical guests, and no guests or media outlets. Rather, the event primarily focused on the organization’s philanthropy.

The winners were announced on Twitter by the @goldenglobes verified account. The major awards went to The Power of the Dog for Best Motion Picture—Drama and West Side Story for Best Motion Picture—Musical or Comedy. West Side Story, a remake of the 1961 film of the same name, also won for Best Supporting Actress with Ariana DeBose in the role of Anita and Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture—Musical or Comedy with Rachel Zegler in the role of Maria Vasquez. The Power of the Dog also won for Best Director with Jane Campion and Best Supporting Actor with Kodi Smit-McPhee in the role of Peter Gordon.

Other individual awards went to Will Smith for his role of Richard Williams in King Richard, Nicole Kidman for her role as Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos, and Andrew Garfield for his role of Jonathon Larson in Tick, Tick… Boom! An awards season frontrunner since its release, Tick, Tick… Boom! sees Garfield bring Larson, writer of the Broadway show RENT, back to life and celebrate his incredible impact on musical theater. The film is directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

With regard to the future of the Golden Globes, NBC has expressed that it wants to give the HFPA time to resolve its problems and hopes that it will be possible to broadcast the event in 2023. Hopefully, this boycott will push the HFPA to make further, more meaningful internal changes and facilitate the advancement of inclusion in the entertainment industry.

by John Downey '23 on January 29, 2022
A&E Co-Editor

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The Andrew Garfield Renaissance

The Actor’s Recent Resurgence in Popularity

Kate Picone ’22

Note: This article contains potential spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home

Until his intense performance as Eduardo Saverin in The Social Network, Andrew Garfield’s career was not recognized by the mainstream media. After viewers watched his iconic speech at the end of the film, however, he began to receive much more recognition for his authentic acting onscreen and charisma on the red carpet. He is currently experiencing a particular surge in popularity. 

After The Social Network, Garfield was cast as Peter Parker in Sony’s The Amazing Spider-Man, and even though he is one of three actors who have played a live-action version of the superhero in the past two decades, his portrayal of Spider-Man remains unique and beloved. 

Indeed, Garfield brought to the role the boyish charm that Peter Parker is supposed to have, while also incorporating Spider-Man’s wit and sarcasm into his interpretation of the character. In The Amazing Spider-Man and its sequel, Garfield compels the audience with his adorable nerdiness, fumbling over his words when talking to Gwen Stacy, his love interest, — and his strength when saving the people of New York. 

This role remains Garfield’s most iconic to date. As a result, even though the actor has maintained a lower profile in recent years, fans of Spider-Man were quick to hope that he would make an appearance in the latest installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man series, Spider-Man: No Way Home. To fans’ delight, Garfield appeared in the film alongside Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man Tom Holland and Tobey Maguire, who starred as the web-slinger in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, prompting many to revisit the charming actor’s career.

While Garfield will perhaps always best be known as the “amazing Spider-Man,” he is certainly not limited to that role or the superhero genre of movie. Aside from his career-changing turn in The Social Network, he is featured in more dramatic pieces. Recently, he starred alongside Jessica Chastain in The Eyes of Tammy Faye and in the critically-acclaimed Lin-Manuel Miranda movie musical Tick, Tick…Boom! in which he portrayed RENT composer Jonathan Larson. 

Although he is only now experiencing a resurgence in popularity, Garfield has proven time and time again that he excels in any role he is given and deserves his reputation as one of today’s most talented actors.

by The Cowl Editor on December 11, 2021

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A&E - Film & TV

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Film Review: House of Gucci

Lady Gaga Brings Infamous Saga to Life

Kate Picone ’22

After months of anticipation, the thrilling film House of Gucci was released in theaters on Nov. 24. The movie stars Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani, the ex-wife of Maurizio Gucci, played by Adam Driver. Based on the 2001 book, The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed, the film follows Reggiani and Gucci’s marriage from a promising beginning to a horrific end as they and other members of their family build the Gucci empire. While this description suggests that the movie is a documentary, it is much more of a mysterious thriller drama, featuring betrayal, greed, revenge, and even murder.

However, some critics and moviegoers have criticized the message that Gaga seems to send with her portrayal of the scorned ex-wife. She said in an interview with NPR that she wanted to tell a story about women and survival, rather than focusing on the violence of Reggiani’s actions. However, the actress did admit that Reggiani ultimately did turn into a monster. Indeed, in real life, Reggiani was convicted of having her husband killed after he had many affairs and treated her poorly when all she had done was support him. She came from humble beginnings, and once she married into the Gucci family, her ambition began to grow. Reggiani had a good head for business, but the Gucci family did not take her seriously because of their own sexism. Although she came up with many ideas to grow the brand and shape it into what it is today, time and time again, she was not credited for her efforts. This lack of recognition, combined with how Reggiani’s husband treated her, informed Gaga’s performance.  

Another critique of the film is the actors’ accents, especially Gaga’s, with many noting how it changes throughout the film. However, Gaga spent nine months with a vocal coach in order to perfect her Italian accent and has expressed in multiple interviews that she altered her accent throughout the movie on purpose. She wanted to make it specific to Reggiani’s progression in life, beginning the movie with a higher pitch in her voice, and as the film goes on, making her voice lower and stronger, to reflect how Reggiani was innocent when she first entered the Gucci family and how the brand and her marriage changed her.

Despite these critiques, the film has become an immediate hit, with people rushing to theaters when it came out and continuing to do so. It has grossed 21.4 million dollars at the box office, scored a 62% on Rotten Tomatoes, and received a 7/10 rating on IMDb. For those who have not seen House of Gucci yet, it’s definitely worth checking out over the winter break.